Not so sure about him being Christian. He had great respect for "the creator", but I don't recall him describing Jesus as the Christ or as his savior. Also, I agree with the point about youthful ignorance. Who hasn't said things that a decade later (or less) are regretted?

Immigrants to America have always been feared and hated. Germans represent the largest group of immigrants to America, outnumbering the English and Irish by a wide margin. Nearly 20% of Americans can trace their ancestors back to Germany. But they were not universally welcomed to our shores. ...